Pre Christmas Happenings

To start off the Christmas season, we kicked it off by going to the Aachen Christmas market. Rob came in town to visit and it was fun to be able to bring him. I really wish I had taken pictures when he was here! We had some yummy hot chocolate and got a new market mug. Other than that, we mostly just walked around and ate some good german Christmas market food. The kids were SO NAUGHTY pretty much the entire time Rob visited, and the market unfortunately wasn't an exception. Made me never want to take them to a market again!





Love these pretty windows!





Towards the beginning of December, it snowed for the first time. Adeline was in HEAVEN. She has been telling me for months how she is excited for snow and how she would like to play in it, make a snowman and drink hot chocolate afterwards. The snow was gone in a couple days, but Adeline enjoyed it while it lasted. I was really hoping for a white Christmas, but that didn't happen!




Meika loved watching the girls outside.





We had a new little Elf join our family, which ended up being so much fun. The kids decided to name him Cleo. First thing every morning was spent trying to find Cleo. Norah found him most of the time it seemed.







Ever since he left us on Christmas, Norah has been distraught. "I didn't get to say goodbye!" It seems like every couple of days she still says, "I didn't want the elf to go!" Apparently he became a part of her life.

I decided to carry on the tradition of gingerbread houses that my mom shared with us (which her mom shared with her). Getting the gingerbread just right, cutting them out, putting them together, etc was a lot of work! Of course my last batch of gingerbread worked out the best. Hopefully I will learn from my mistakes and do better next year. It is harder here with our ovens that cook different and are too small for a big jelly roll pan! I made one for Adeline's teacher and the girls both enjoyed decorating their own with their friends Blake and Grant.



Norah pretty much laid on the bench the entire time while she snuck candy. Silly girl.



This year we celebrated SinterKlaas. Adeline's school, which is in the Netherlands, also celebrated this Holiday. The tradition is that on December 5th, children put their boots on the front porch in Germany (Clogs in Netherlands). Sinterklaas will either leave candy/presents in them if they are good and sticks in them if that are naughty. Adeline decorated a clog at school to take home to leave on our front porch. I got an extra from the school and had Norah decorate hers. Or course Adeline insisted on putting extra bling on hers when Norah was decorating hers. The girls got a little treat in their clogs the next morning.







My friend and I took our girls (who are little buddies) to a Nutcracker that was a couple hours away. Our tickets were not cheap and I was hoping that it would be a good one. The girls did really well being quiet and sitting still. Funny that I say that though because there was a complete rude lady that was sitting next to us. During the intermission she approached us and told us that it was not a children's theatre and that we needed to keep our kids quiet. Adeline's friend had WHISPERED a couple questions to her mom during the first half. She was not loud! There were adults around us whispering much more often and louder. Geez lady. They wouldn't sell children's tickets if they didn't want them in the theatre! It was not that great, but the girls enjoyed it. No live symphony, no props, pretty much nothing the nutcracker should have except adult ballet dancers. The Nutcracker can only get better from here!





We also went on the Sinterklaas train again this year. We went with a couple other families and had a lot of fun. Last year we went on the American night. If we go again next year, that is what we will do. On the American night they have "Santa Claus" and the kids can sit on his lap. The german kids lined up and then performed for Sinterklaas. We tried to get our kids to participate, but they wouldn't!



Adeline took this picture...


They spotted Sinterklaas!




Each kid got a goodie bag from Sinterklaas, given to them by Black Peter (his helper).



Norah was completely freaked out and NOT a fan!



The girls enjoyed some hot chocolate



and oversized wieners.



And then there was our Ward Christmas party. It was kind of crazy because Norah came down with a double ear infection hours before we had to leave. We had to transport all the meat to the party and also had a dessert to bring.... and so Norah had to be drug along.





All the kids huddled around waiting to see Santa Claus. Norah was a little nervous.



Meika was excited.



and then Santa Claus finally arrived.



Once again, Norah wasn't too happy.



Starting to lose it!



and lost it



Right after they sat on Santa's lap, Adeline runs over to us and says, "I KNOW that is Blake's daddy!!" I first told her no, but she kept insisting that it was him. So I told her that she was right. It was Blake's daddy, but only because Santa Claus couldn't make it, so Eli had to fill in. She was satisfied.